busyness

noun

busy·​ness ˈbi-zē-nəs How to pronounce busyness (audio)
: a busy quality or state: such as
a
: the state of having or being involved in many activities
the busyness of her schedule
What with the busyness of the holidays and that conviction, I didn't pay much attention to my bird feeder for the next few days.Emily Pasquale
b
: the state of having many details
Consider other factors as well, such as color contrast, pattern busyness, and furnishings sizes.Better Homes and Gardens

Examples of busyness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Once the busyness of Christmas subsides, there are only a few days until New Year’s Eve parties start rolling in. Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025 Arriving empty-handed, leaving messes behind, being hours late — behaviors like these reflect obliviousness or busyness at best, or selfishness or entitlement at worst. Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025 The busyness of the composition below and the emptiness above imply a ground and a sky, which explains why critics often said that Frankenthaler’s work was, in essence, landscape painting. Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025 The Multitasking Myth Perhaps the greatest contributor to the busyness delusion is our belief in multitasking. Brendan Keegan, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for busyness

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of busyness was in 1809

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Cite this Entry

“Busyness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/busyness. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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